Topping Lift Length Westerly Longbow 31

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thesaintlyone

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Following on from my previous thread I am going to replace the topping lift and keep for now anyway the roller furling in place.
Do plan to install the cabin top winches and clutches to lead everything back to the cabin
With this in mind how do I calculate the length of the new topping lift

Regards
 
Height of the mast x 2 + distance from base of mast to coachroof winch + enough to let the boom drop to the deck + a bit :)

My Discus has the topping lift led to a coachroof winch and is a total of 24m, doubt yours will be hugely different.
 
PaulRainbow said:
Height of the mast x 2 + distance from base of mast to coachroof winch + enough to let the boom drop to the deck + a bit :)

My Discus has the topping lift led to a coachroof winch and is a total of 24m, doubt yours will be hugely different.
Click to expand...
The topper woll be
mast + hypotenuse ( out to boom end) + what is req to lead aft + a metre spare
 
thesaintlyone said:
Following on from my previous thread I am going to replace the topping lift and keep for now anyway the roller furling in place.
Do plan to install the cabin top winches and clutches to lead everything back to the cabin
With this in mind how do I calculate the length of the new topping lift

Regards
Click to expand...
If you take the LOA as 9.45m you can scale off this drawing to determine the length yu require. But always add a bit extra as you can easily shorten it if necessary while it is difficult the lengthen it
imagehelper.asp
 
You carefully measure the luff length (I hauled some light line up with the main halyard) then you double it, add a bit for the length of the boom, add a metre for cleating and buy the rope. You then take it to a splicer, who puts a nice eye in the end, using up 2m of rope for which you completely forgot to account. You don't notice this until you have reeved the new topping lift and find that it is precisely two inches short of reaching the cleat.

Once you stop swearing, you do the same again, only this time starting with a bit of rope 2m longer. Actually 3m longer, because you have lost a certain amount of confidence.

I speak from experience. If you would like to buy an almost unused 22m topping lift in 8mm double braid, send me a PM. It's probably too small for you, though.
 
Buy yourself a 30m roughly reel end from Marine Scene which will be half the price of new and long enough to go back to the cockpit. Don't bother with a spliced eye, but learn how to do a halyard knot which you can find on the Selden site.
 
Another solution is to fit a Barton Boomstrut, excellent piece of kit - when kicking strap released the boom automatically raises to make reefing easier. After reefing just haul in the kicking strap and that's it. Tie your existing topping lift out of the way which could then be used as an emergency main halliard if required.
 
PetiteFleur said:
Another solution is to fit a Barton Boomstrut, excellent piece of kit - when kicking strap released the boom automatically raises to make reefing easier. After reefing just haul in the kicking strap and that's it. Tie your existing topping lift out of the way which could then be used as an emergency main halliard if required.
Click to expand...

The OP has decided to keep the through mast reefing for now . Until he changes that the boomstrut is not suitable.

All I can say about the through mast reefing is that it works and is relatively easy to use.
 
aquaplane said:
Take the old one off and measure it.
Click to expand...

Trying to avoid that as it will be easier to pull the new one through (I hope)

Thanks for all the other suggestions think I will buy 24m + maybe a bit extra cause the discus is bigger so as you say paulrainbow so should be about right.

Thanks
 
thesaintlyone said:
Had a look on Marine Scene what would be the ideal rope from those advertised for a longbow 31 topping lift

http://www.marinescene.co.uk/category/1242/end-of-reel-offcuts
Click to expand...

Its not that important for the topping lift

3 strand if you want to be able to splice an eye in the end easily. With a braided rope I'd stitch and whip an eye but the halyard knot mentioned above is an alternative.

Dont be tempted to try anything larger in diameter than what is on there at present or you may have trouble getting it through the sheave block at the mast head. The original was quite light IIRC .... 6mm ??????
 
thesaintlyone said:
Had a look on Marine Scene what would be the ideal rope from those advertised for a longbow 31 topping lift

http://www.marinescene.co.uk/category/1242/end-of-reel-offcuts
Click to expand...

I'd buy the 34m length of 8mm : http://www.marinescene.co.uk/produc...aid-on-braid-yacht-rope-8mm-red-flecks-34mtrs

It's more than long enough for what you want but the off cut will be a usable length.

There's also some longer lengths if you want a bit more spare.

Be interested to hear how much you actually use.

EDIT, in light of Vics post, double check that 8mm will fit.
 
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VicS said:
Its not that important for the topping lift

3 strand if you want to be able to splice an eye in the end easily. With a braided rope I'd stitch and whip an eye but the halyard knot mentioned above is an alternative.
Click to expand...

Or learn to do an eye splice.
 
I did cut a bit off the old but how do I measure it?
Originally was gonna take it to a chandlers and get them to match it
But marine scene off cuts will save me a bit which will eventually add up cause over time Im gonna replace all the running rigging

Regards
 
thesaintlyone said:
I did cut a bit off the old but how do I measure it?
Originally was gonna take it to a chandlers and get them to match it
But marine scene off cuts will save me a bit which will eventually add up cause over time Im gonna replace all the running rigging

Regards
Click to expand...

Just measure across it. It's worth having a cheap vernier caliper onboard.
 
Appears to be 8mm
Is there anything else on the Longbow that will be 8mm haven't checked yet as Im not at the boat til monday
but was wondering if it was worth buying the 47mtrs option which is not a great deal more
 
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